Giants Keys to Victory

Here are the Giants Keys to victory against the NFC East rival Redskins

1) Follow the blueprint. The Giants have experience this season against dynamic quarterbacks like Robert Griffin III and fared relatively well. While players like Michael Vick and Cam Newton differ in their games, it’s still a point of reference for the defense.

2) Pound away. The Giants’ rushing attack will be trying for its third straight week of success. After doing so against San Francisco, this game won’t be any easier for Bradshaw and company against Washington’s No. 8 run defense.

3) Take an early shot. Washington is giving up an NFL-worst 328.3 yards per game. Put that to the test early and possibly spark the crowd on Sunday afternoon.

4) Green light. Whether or not you’re like Tom Coughlin and refer to the red zone as the “green zone,” the Giants need to convert more trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard line into touchdowns. However, no one is complaining about an offense that is putting up nearly 30 points per game (tied for third in the NFL with Washington) while Lawrence Tynes leads the league in scoring.

5) Win the turnover battle. This is always a no-brainer, but the Redskins have a plus-nine turnover differential and have scored four defensive touchdowns.

6) Discipline. Aside from containing Griffin, running back Alfred Morris still leads the No. 2 rushing offense in yards and can’t be overlooked.

7) 59 is the Mike! Middle linebacker and tackling machine London Fletcher had 21 tackles against the Giants in two games last season. He’s everywhere in both run and pass situations and leads a defense that keeps on coming.

8) Balance. After throwing the ball 42 times opposed to just 19 carries in Philadelphia in Week 4, the Giants have maintained a 71-65 run-pass balance in back-to-back wins.

9) All three phases. Offense, defense, and special teams came together last week for a signature win in San Francisco. The same must be done against Washington, which has talent on every unit.

10) Don’t go down that road again. Last December, the Redskins came into MetLife Stadium and completed the season sweep of the Giants, who were coming off their big win in Dallas. They can’t afford a letdown this week. And regardless of which NFC East opponent it is, the Giants are 0-2 in the division and need to start tallying some wins.